• Guest would you be interested in CUPRA or SEAT valve caps? let us know in the poll

  • Welcome to our new sponsor Lecatona, a brand dedicated to enhancing performance for VAG group sports cars, including SEAT, Audi, Volkswagen and Škoda. Specializing in High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) upgrades.

APU head on my LCR!!!!!

Rich23 UK

Slave to my LCR
Sep 15, 2009
240
0
Devon
I'm no mechanic so I can only go by advice given to me.

Germania said it was a cracked head I think.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the garage where I bought it. So until I know where I stand with them determines my next step. Tomorrow they said as the MD was out and it's the salesman's day off.

If I hadn't of gone and got the cambelt done I would of been none the wiser. But in a way I'm glad I did.

I rang another company (www.justvwaudi.co.uk) and spoke with a very nice chap. He questioned the work and said it could be running low on power. It does seem to run fine but I don't know what else was changed to get the head to fit.

Even so there is an oil leak and exhaust bracket that needs sorting!

I really don't need the shite right now. I've got a 4 week old baby and spent alot of money for the car I really wanted. I just feel very pi$$ed off right now! :censored:
 

Rich23 UK

Slave to my LCR
Sep 15, 2009
240
0
Devon
Timing belt snapped, headgasket gone and head damaged beyond repair, oil system failure, broken valves?

Mine has an AUQ head on with BAM cam gear, no problem, its usually cheaper alternative as there the same head, just normally amk or bam heads are overpriced due to the car they fit. i wouldent worry about it if it runs ok.

Only diffrence i found on the heads if yo need to blank off the EGR vavle or it sounds like a hotrod lol, took me a hour or two to notice :whistle: Lifters cams valve train is all the same.

The AUQ engine seems fine. Here is a table with all the different engine codes on.

AUQ/ARY:

Audi A3
Audi TT
Seat Leon Cupra
Skoda Octavia RS
VW Bora 1.8T
VW Golf GTi

APU:

Audi A4 1.8T
Audi A6 1.8T
VW Passat 1.8T

just dont be fobed of buy garages saying its the sales men day off & so on thats the oldest trick i in the book mate once is fair enough..

I will wait unto tomorrow morning and then I want some answers.
 
Last edited:

dirk1978

Active Member
Mar 25, 2009
95
7
I've got an APU in my Passat. Decent engine but I suspect the head will have done quite a few miles as lots of Passat 1.8Ts are on intergalactic.
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,368
25
Gloucester
although the APU head is a 150bhp (A4/passat - 99/00 ish btw) both the inlet and exhaust valve's are the same parts as the BAM anyway

if it's been refitted with the original BAM camshaft's then it's pretty much down to port's etc really wether they are small or large etc but without seeing them i couldn't tell ya that in-depth
 

Rich23 UK

Slave to my LCR
Sep 15, 2009
240
0
Devon
although the APU head is a 150bhp (A4/passat - 99/00 ish btw) both the inlet and exhaust valve's are the same parts as the BAM anyway

if it's been refitted with the original BAM camshaft's then it's pretty much down to port's etc really wether they are small or large etc but without seeing them i couldn't tell ya that in-depth

Exactly it's an unknown thing. How do I know it's running at 225? I'm not necessarily getting the car I thought it was.

Until I see evidence that it will not give me any long term issues I'm still not 100% about it.

What about issues if I sell it in the future. It will effect the re-sale value and raise concerns for the buyer aswell. It has knock on effects surely :confused:

I can see this one being very drawn out :cry:
 

Rich23 UK

Slave to my LCR
Sep 15, 2009
240
0
Devon
Last edited:

dirk1978

Active Member
Mar 25, 2009
95
7
Is that good or bad? The power stats between the two concern me.

Had a quick look under the bonnet at lunch and it seems to have the Audi badges stamp over the right hand side parts.

Where can I find the engine number? I would like to compare this with the V5.

Power difference between the 2 is purely down to one having a K03 and the other having a K04 (and minor things like larger injectors, FMIC, aggressive map etc.)
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
so why are the main dealer making such a big deal of it?:blink:
if its the same thing? as yours shaunyboy?:)

As said it isnt a main dealers so obviously they dont know much about these cars, if VAG was to make a diffrent head for ever variant there would be an insane ammount of money involved, hence why there all the same. The engine code is stamped into the head for reference, but if y ou know its a BAM block then its a BAM engine.
 

MJ

Public transport abuser
Apr 22, 2008
5,508
13
Manchester
m.facebook.com
Well it seems the dealer has done exactly what it intended to do, which is scare the sh1t out of you and think you need:

A new exhaust system
A new head
A new engine
Maybe even... A NEW CAR!!!

I bet the did they belt swap then waited to phone you to tell you this so they could take your money off you rather than just telling you and being honest.

As for them telling you that your exhaust is an mot fail and requires a replacement!?! what a load of crap, the bracket in question as previously mentioned breaks on these cars very regularly and requires nothing more that a blob of weld and a big jubilee clip to be double safe. Even if the bracket has broken off and is unrepairable this would still only warrent an advisory because the exhaust is in no danger of falling off the car what so ever - there is another bracket at the rear of the back box and another very large and secure one right on the centre section that will do an ample job of holding it just as well without the previously mentioned one.

What i would do is:

Get the car on a rolling road - to check what power its running

Check the head - if it has VVT or not and doesnt have a 2 pin connector just tucked inside the loom or has a blanking plate where the egr valve was, make sure the engine light comes on and goes off when running and hasnt been blanked off

If the car is running ok and is producing the correct power then you shoudnt have a problem, ask them to give you a years warrenty for reassurance or take out a private on for as little as £15 a month that wil cover you if it does go.

The reason why the heads are most commonly replaced is either due to timing belt failure or water pump failure - where the head become so hot it cracks and is scrap.
 
Last edited:

Rich23 UK

Slave to my LCR
Sep 15, 2009
240
0
Devon
Well after a good nights sleep and time to really think about it I am less concerened about the situation.

The garage rang me this morning and said they didn't know about the head change but felt the car performed as well as one they also had in fairly recently. And I have to say I agree the performance is amazing on the thing. And let's face it it has been in the car for nearly 18 months and would of caused major issues by now if there was a problem.

They said they would sort out the slight oil leak and exhaust mount bracket and are willing to let me take it to an independant garage to get it sorted and let them know and they would sort it under the warranty. There not willing to pay main deal prices which I suppose is fair enough.

And after reading some of the comments on here and another forum I can feel more positive about the whole thing. I took it for a spin earlier and I can't fault it. Pulls like a train, looks the dogs and makes me smile. Just what I was after in the first place.

I think I just over reacted after initially being a bit scared by the main dealer. But at the end of the day they probably want me back to spend more money than I need to with them.

So I'll get the little bits sorted and then happy days I think.

Thanks again for all your comments about this. [B)]
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
With the K04 turbo/manifold, and the BAM inlet, BAM ecu it will run 221 bhp regardless of auq, akm bam, apu. I questioned this when i needed a head, i was on the verge of using a AUQ block too with the BAM pistons and hardware. Il put money on if it was dyno'd it would produce the same power.
 
Dec 31, 2007
1,479
0
Reading
worth spending a few pounds on a dyno although chanaces are performance will be the same or it would've been noticed by now.

I would be tempted to ask the garage you bought it on to put on the BAM head - as you say it WILL affect what happens when you come to sell it on unless you sell it to someone who doesnt do the research (or find out by accident like you did). At least then you know its right going forward.

Ultimately though you can take it back if you are unsure - I wouldnt write this option off yet.
 

Rich23 UK

Slave to my LCR
Sep 15, 2009
240
0
Devon
With the K04 turbo/manifold, and the BAM inlet, BAM ecu it will run 221 bhp regardless of auq, akm bam, apu. I questioned this when i needed a head, i was on the verge of using a AUQ block too with the BAM pistons and hardware. Il put money on if it was dyno'd it would produce the same power.

That's what i started to think tbh. But yeah i will stick it on a dyno just out of interest.

worth spending a few pounds on a dyno although chanaces are performance will be the same or it would've been noticed by now.

I would be tempted to ask the garage you bought it on to put on the BAM head - as you say it WILL affect what happens when you come to sell it on unless you sell it to someone who doesnt do the research (or find out by accident like you did). At least then you know its right going forward.

Ultimately though you can take it back if you are unsure - I wouldnt write this option off yet.

There not going to put a BAM head on it if it's running ok. They bought it with that head on it already as it was done in May 08.
I'm planning on keeping tis car for 4-5 years so when i thought about it realistically the resale thing doesnt matter. If i get it dyno'd to see what power it is producing it will show how it affects it. If at all.

Heads rarely go on cars so if i look after it and keep it well serviced i'm sure it will be fine.
 
Aug 7, 2009
1,395
0
Manchester U.K
worth spending a few pounds on a dyno although chanaces are performance will be the same or it would've been noticed by now.

I would be tempted to ask the garage you bought it on to put on the BAM head - as you say it WILL affect what happens when you come to sell it on unless you sell it to someone who doesnt do the research (or find out by accident like you did). At least then you know its right going forward.

Ultimately though you can take it back if you are unsure - I wouldnt write this option off yet.

Why would it? Be honest with the buyer and say its had a new head on before i bought it, if yhere is recipts then show them aswell.
 
Genuine SEAT Parts and Accessories.